Ash Sandvig, part of the Sand Collection by Kahrs, is a light, exclusive 1-strip floor

“THE ‘TREND PENDULUM’ HAS SWUNG AWAY FROM CHEAP AND CHEERFUL BACK TOWARDS QUALITY AND LONGEVITY”

sourced and made from sustainable materials. “Flooring must now be designed with the heart as much as the head, by designers and manufacturers with a conscience who bow to environmental concerns, not just commercial ones,” adds Redshaw. “Consumers are demanding more from

designers, manufacturers and retailers in terms of information and good practice as they embrace lower and slower consumption lifestyles themselves. So a new phase now begins that is dictated by consumer’s new expectations. They want to understand and appreciate how things are made and are beginning to look more closely at what they are made of and their quality.”

SUSTAINABLE WOOD FLOORING Already we are seeing flooring manufacturers respond to consumer expectations, particularly when it comes to wooden flooring. Whilst hard wood has always been a popular choice, many of the more exotic hardwoods are under threat from illegal and unsustainable logging practices. But luckily many manufacturers and retailers are now

committed to sourcing their products only from certifiably sustainable sources. The forests from which Danish

CERTIFIED TIMBER Kährs of Sweden has a similar approach to eco-standards. Tropical species are sourced only from member countries of the International Tropical Timber Association, and within each country, principally from the Forest Stewardship Council or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification suppliers. Most timber, however, is sourced locally with over 88 per cent of raw material sourced within a 124-mile radius of the factory in Nybro, Sweden. This not only reduces transportation costs but also allows Kährs to utilise waste wood; timber that cannot be used in floor production is converted into bio-fuel, which provides heat for the plant and the homes of 45,000 local residents.

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Kebony is a sustainable alternative to hardwoods from tropical regions and is particularly resistant to wear and weathering